Hockey stick, cricket bat, and like sporting article



mes l, 1925 (1-3. F. CORDWELL. HOCKEY STICK, CRICKET BAT AND LIKE SPORTING ARTICLE Filed June 24 1924 ZnI en avg ffaomezg Patented Dec. 1, 1925.

curiae STATES GEORGE FREDERICK CORDWELL, 01? LONDON, ENGLAND.

HOCKEY STICK, CRICKET BAT, AND LIKE SPORTING ARTICLE.

Application filed June 24, 19%.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, GEORGE Fnnnniuon CORDWELL, a subject of the King of England, residing atv 113 Mare Street, Hackney, London, E. 8, in the Kingdom of England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Hockey Sticks, Cricket Bats, and like Sporting Articles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in hockey sticks, cricket bats and like sporting articles.

The object of this invention is to provide a hockey stick, cricket hat or other sporting articles, which in use normally touch the ground, with means to reinforce them in such a manner that splitting or breakage of the end or other portion of the stick or bat will be obviated or considerably lessened.

A further object is to so arrange the reinforcing means that the size and shape of the hockey stick or the like will not be altered and, therefore, conform to the rules laid down for playing the game.

lVith these and other objects in view the invention consists in reinforcing a hockey stick, cricket bat or other sporting article, of the type hereinbefore referred to, by providing along certain portions of the articles, preferably at or adjacent to the striking face or lower part, an insertion strip or strips of similar or dissimilar material.

The invention further consists in providing at or adjacent to the striking or wearing parts of sporting articles of the kind above referred to, an insertion or insertions of wood or the like having the grain arranged transversely or at an angle to the normal grain of the article so as to reduce wear and prevent the article from splitting, which split-- ting usually takes place along the grain;

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is afront elevation of a hockey stick having the invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a side view thereof;

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross section taken on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Fi ure 4 is an enlarged section similar to Figure 3 of a slightly modified construc tion;

Figure 5 is a. front view of a cricket bat constructed in accordance with this inven;

tion, and

Serial No. 722,150.

Figure 6 is a side view thereof.

According to one form of this invention, as shown in Figures 1 to; 3 and as applied to, for instance, a hockey stick, the toe a of the stick 6 which is usually constructed of wood, such as ash, and curved to provide the toe a, is formed with a slot 0 which is arranged substantially parallel with and ad jacent to the flat or striking face cl of the stick b. In this slot 0 is fitted and secured in any suitable manner a reinforcement e such as a layer of preferably similar wood. This layer or insertion piece e is so arranged that its grain runs transversely or at an angle to the normal grain of the wood from which the stick 5 is formed. This insertion piece 6 is of any suitable thickness preferably of about a quarter the thickness of the toe (a of the stick 7). The insertion piece 6 preferably only extends along the toe aof the stick I) for approximately one and a half inches to two inches, but it will be understood that this insertion piece 6 may extend to reinforce the whole curved portion of the stick and to the stringed or handle portion of the stick. Any suitable means may be provided to secure this lamination or insertion strip 6 in the stick; preferably the slots 0 is of such size that the strip can be inserted and glued or cemented into position by any suitable waterproof glue or other adhesive material. A further insertion strip f is arranged in the stick 6 adjacent to the splice g. This insertion strip 7 may extend into the splice 9, but it is preferably only arranged in the body portion of the stick. The insertion strip is preferably of equal thickness throughout, but it will be understood that it may vary in thickness: or it may be corrugated or otherwise suitably shaped to reinforce the stick. It will also be understood that a plurality of insertion pieces f and k may be arranged to reinforce the stick, as shown more particularly in Figure 4. These insertion pieces 7" and h may have their grain arranged in different relation to more adequately strengthen the parts. The plurality of insertion pieces may be ar ranged in one slot 0 as shown, or a single or a plurality of insertion pieces f may be arranged in each of a plurality of slots.

The insertion pieces may be of dissimilar material to the stick; for instance, the in sertion pieces may be formed of fibre, metal or other suitable material. The insertion pieces may be further secured by transversely arranged pegsz' or the like,-indicated in dottedliries in Figure l.

It will be seen that a hockey stick having a reinforcement or. reinforcements as above described will be considerably strengthened at. the toe and the risk of the splitting of the toe will be effectively overcome, and, further, the external, shape of the toe and stick will be unaltered.

In a modification, asshoWn-iir Figures 5 andG- and-as applied'to a cricket bat; the insertion: piece is'arrange'd in a slot 0 provided in the lower end of the bat This insertion piece f preferably extends the full \vidth ot the bat j/ and may extend for any.

suitable distancealongthe'length of the hat. The" grain of theinsertiori piece ispreferably arranged transversely to' the graiirof th'e'body portion or" the bat-and it willbe seenthat' when such an insertion is provided the bat will be reinforced and splitting: will be effectively prevented.

The above described lan'iinat-ions may be inserted in any portion of any other sporting article to effectively prevent splitting of the material from which the article is made and whensnch strips areins-erted in the end or Wearing portions, wear and breakage will be effectively prevented.

hat I. claim is 1. A hockey stick having a curved striking portionthereof slotted Within the length of such curved portion and parallel to the strikingitace, and 'a reinforce strip inserted in and filling said slot, the grain of the strip being arranged "at an angle to the normal grain of'the head portion and parallel to the striking," face.

0 ing portion thereof slottedwithin the length ot'snchcurved portion and extending parallel to the strikingface, and a reinforce strip inserted "in said slot, the grain of the strip being arranged at an angle to thenormal. grain of the head portion and parallel to the striking face, and means passing through the curved portion of the stick and strip to secure the strip in place.

In testimony wvhereof signed iny n ame- GEORGE FREDERICK. CQRDWELL'.

I have hereunto a. A l'ioelcey stick-having the curved strilv 

